Can-opener.



Patented May l3, |902.

.1. n. BOLTON CAN OPENER.

(Application filed Oct. 24, 1901.)

(No Model.)

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

JAMES D. BOLTON, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM W. GRISWVOLD, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO.

CAN-OPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,113, dated May 13, 1902. Application filed October 24, 1901. Serial No. 79,830. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: and by securing said extremity to the inner Be it known that I, JAMES D. BOLTON, a side of the cutter the latter is left clear for citizen of the United States, residing at Triniunobstructed penetration. Moreover, by apdad, in the county of Las Animas and State plying the handleein the manner set fortlithe of Colorado, have invented a new and useful cutterl is free for resilient action or permitted 55 Can-Opener, of which the followingis a specito yield when-performing the cutting operafication; tion therewith to avoid sticking, particularly This invention relates to can-openers; and when withdrawing the cutter, and which the'object of the same is toprovide a simple would necessarily result if the said cutter was and effective device of this class designed for of rigid construction, and to augment this re- 60 use in households, hotels, and other places silient or yielding action ofthe cutter it is and which is serviceable for quickly opening cut through at the inner upper portion, as at various-sized cans without injuring or soiling 8, to provide free terminals 9, into which the the hands of the operator. 7 cutting edges 3 have mergence. Secured to :5 The invention consists in the construction the handle a in a plane at right angles and 65 and arrangement of the several parts, which extending across the top edge of the cutter 1 will be more fully hereinafter described and is a guard 10, which is of considerably greater claimed. 7 diameter than the upper portion of the cutter,

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa perspective and the function of this guard is to prevent view of a can-opener embodying the features the cutter being pushed completely through 70 of the invention and shown applied and as the can-top after a full penetration has been partially penetrating a can-top. Fig. 2 is a made, as clearly shown by Fig. 2, and wherein transverse vertical section of the top portion it will be seen that the opposite extremities of a can and the improved opener, showing of the said guard bear upon the can-top at the latter fully penetrated in relation to the diametrically opposite points outside of th 75 can-top. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the importion out therefrom. proved opener. In the operation of the device it is first dis- Si'milar numerals of reference are employed posed as shown by Fig.1, and the point 2 is to indicate corresponding parts in the several caused to penetrate the can-top by applying views. I a downward pressure to the cutter 1. By con- 80 The numeral 1 designates a cylindricaltinuing the downward pressure on the cutter shaped single-pointed cutter,preferably made the latter will be caused to sink through the of sheet-steel, with the point 2 and opposite top and the cutting edges 3 will sever the upwardly-inclined spiral cutting edges 3 exmetal and cause an approximately circular tending to near the top edge of the cutter. portion of the top to be loosened, so that it can 85 The cutting edges 3 are located at the inner be raised and the contents of the can made portion of the cutter, and the latter flares accessible. It will be seen that the lower dislightly toward the point 2, as clearly shown ametrically larger portion of the cutter first by Fig. 3, so as to increase the diametricalpasses through'the can-top, and asthe diam- 40 dimension of the cutter gradually toward the ter of the cutter gradually decreases toward lower extremity or portion thereof. A flatthe upper edge-thereof the cut or released porbar metallic handle 4 is provided and has one tion of the can-top will have the tendency to extremity5 bent at anangle and securely fasbe drawn upwardly] rather than pressed intened' to the inner side of the upper portion wardly and to be pulled away ,fromithe adjaof the cutter, the opposite extremity 6 of the cent uncut portion; of the top rather than 95 handle being'reduced and terminally bent to jammed closer thereagainst. Furthermore, form a hook 7, which is adaptedto be used this operation of initially forming an enin pulling up orraising the cut portion of the larged cut will facilitate the withdrawal of can-top. The extremity 5 of the handle 4 is the cutter 1 after the necessary penetration attached to the inner portion of the cutter 1, of the latter has ensued, and in the cutting Ioo operation the upwardly-inclined spiral cutting edges 3 will serve to ease the separation of the portion of the can-top operated upon, and that portion of the can-top operated upon which remains uncut, as shown by Fig. 1, may be severed by rotating the cutter. The completely-severed portion of the can-top will be drawn out with the cutter when the latter is removed, because the upper smaller diametrical portion of said cutter will frictionally hold the removed part of the can-top.

'lhe upwardly-inclined arrangement of the cutting edges 3 facilitates the easy and rapid movement of the cutter downward through the top. The shape of the cutter, as set forth, also operates to stretch the opening made thereby, and said shape in conjunction with the inherent resiliency of said cutter will overcome any tendency toward an annoying or disadvantageous binding or hanging action. By forming the entire device of metal a more durable structure results, and it is proposed to change the proportions and dimensions at will. It will be understood, moreover, that the only point of attachment of the blade to the handle is at the center of its upper edge, thus leaving the entire blade free for transverse expansion and contraction. Therefore when the blade is forced into a can-top the tendency of the severed portion of the top to spread the blade, owing to the upward reduction in diameter of the latter, will cause a frictional bearing of the inner surface of the blade against the periphery of the severed portion, which will serve to lift the severed portion out of the can when the tool is raised after the completion of the cut.

Moreover, the slight expansion of the blade due to the outward pressure of the severed portion of the top will not carry the upper edge of the blade beyond the arms of the brace or cross-head 10, owing to the fact that these arms are extended a considerable distance beyond the normal positions of the sides of the blade. Preferably the extremities of the cutting edge terminate short of each other to leave a portion of the top unsevered to form a hinge upon which the severed portion may be folded back.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. A can-opener having an approximately cylindrical upwardlytapered or reduced blade provided with cutting edges which progress spirally in opposite directions from a penetratingpoint, to cause the transverse compression of the severed portion of a cantop as the blade advances therethrough.

2. A can-opener having an approximately cylindrical, transverselyexpansible blade, reduced in diameter toward its top, and havin g s pirally-disposed down wardly-convergent cutting edges intersecting to form a penetratin g-point.

3. A can-opener having an approximately cylindrical, transversely-expansible blade provided with spirally-disposed downwardlycouvergent cutting edges intersecting to form a penetrating-point, and a handle secured to the upper edge of the blade at one point and provided with a brace having a plurality of bearings on the edge of the blade to provide for the application of downward pressure to the blade without interfering with transverse expansion.

4. A can-opener having an approximately cylindrical, transversely expansible, upwardly-reduced or tapered blade, of which the cutting edges progress spirally from a penetrating-point and terminate short of each other near the upper edge of the blade, and a handle secured to the blade at its upper edge and remote from the terminals of the cutting edges and provided with a brace et cross-head bearing on the upper edge of the blade adjacent to said terminals of the cutting edges.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I JAMES D. BOL'I ON.

Vitnesses:

D. ECKIIART, M. LINDSEY. 

